


Flip a Coin, Decide Your Fate

by gingercanary, Phoebmonster



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Astra's playing nice, Gen, Soul Coin fic, We had an idea and now it's a full blown story, fluff?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:55:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26476051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingercanary/pseuds/gingercanary, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phoebmonster/pseuds/Phoebmonster
Summary: Astra never thought she’d have this many possessions to take from hell. After the loom was destroyed, Astra agreed to move into John’s old house to have some time and space to get used to life on earth again. This meant going downtown to retrieve her stuff. Turns out that, after years in hell, Astra did collect some prized possessions. Not to mention how fun it was to watch John lug her desk through the house.“What on earth is in this box?!” John dropped the wooden case on the first step of the stairs, wiping sweat off his brow. He inspected the plain wood, the latches holding the lid tight.Leaning against the railing at the top, Astra smiled. “Guess.”Hundreds of soul coins lay upon the inner lining, names John didn’t recognise and a few which he did.OrThe legends all have soul coins, yes. But what if they were different? Tuned to the person themselves? Well, we went off on this topic and here's what we settled on. Astra gives the legends a chance to come pick them up.
Relationships: Astra Logue & Mona Wu, Astra Logue & Sara Lance, Charlie & Astra Logue, Charlie & Sara Lance, Charlie/Astra Logue, John Constantine & Astra Logue, Sara Lance & Kendra Saunders
Comments: 6
Kudos: 40
Collections: Ladies of DCTV





	1. Prologue

Astra never thought she’d have this many possessions to take from hell. After the loom was destroyed, Astra agreed to move into John’s old house to have some time and space to get used to life on earth again. This meant going downtown to retrieve her stuff. Turns out that, after years in hell, Astra did collect some prized possessions. Not to mention how fun it was to watch John lug her desk through the house. 

“What on earth is in this box?!” John dropped the wooden case on the first step of the stairs, wiping sweat off his brow. He inspected the plain wood, the latches holding the lid tight.

Leaning against the railing at the top, Astra smiled. “Guess.” 

With a great sigh, John picked it back up. “Secret demon? Dragon baby? Gold bars? You tell me, love.” Slowly but surely, he made it up the stairs where Astra took the box like it weighed nothing. 

“You’re getting old, John. But it may just be your smoker’s lungs.” With the box lodged on her hip, Astra’s heels clicked on the stone floors. Black, white, black, white. The design was old but then again so was the house. She entered her new office and dropped the box onto her desk. “Come, check it out for yourself.” 

John approached as Astra took a key from her necklace and unlocked the box. She pushed the lid up.   
“Oh, bloody hell,” John muttered. Hundreds of soul coins lay upon the inner lining, names John didn’t recognise and a few which he did. “Why are you bringing these up here? You know they don’t count as money on earth.” He reached out, his fingertips hovering over the coins.

“Don’t touch them!” Astra bumped him aside and closed the lid. “Now that I’m up here, I doubt that all of these people…” She tapped her fingers on the box. “Would like it if I handed their souls to someone else. Figured it’d be safer for them if I kept the coins.” She picked up the lock and moved it back in place with a click. “As for not using them as money, yeah I learnt that the hard way.” She walked back to the portal with John hot on her heels. 

“What do you mean, you learnt that the hard way?!”

After a few hours, they had recovered all of her possessions from hell. As she stood in the middle of her makeshift office, Astra realised one thing. “So since I’m playing nice now…” She started.

John, sitting on top of her desk, raised an eyebrow.

“Nicer,” she corrected. “I’ll have to tell the legends I own their souls, right?”

He lost his balance and slid off the desk. “Hold up, you own every single legends’ soul? My my, you must have been a feared woman.”

“I am a good businesswoman. But my question still stands. I’ll have to tell them I own their souls, right? So they can come to collect them if- when they want to.”

John’s eyes went to Astra’s neck, where his soul coin used to hang. “Yes, love. If you’re playing nice you should give them their souls. And out of curiosity...” He placed his hand on the box. “I know a few legends have died. Are they in here?” His voice gained an edge it didn’t often have.

“If you’re referring to Snart, yes. If you are talking about Professor Stein, I have had to keep him in a different location due to some… abnormalities. As for Rip Hunter, his literal existence’s been slippery. Last I heard, Lachesis had him. But something was off with his coin.” Astra tucked her hands into the pockets of her suit. “Alright. You got one of those portal thingies, right? I gotta tell the legends I own their souls.” 

A few seconds later, John and Astra were aboard the Waverider. 

“Oh, hey,” Sara sat up in her chair. “I didn’t expect to see you today. What’s up?” 

“Astra here has something to tell you lot,” John said. 

Astra punched him in the arm but nodded when Sara raised her eyebrows. “I do,” she sighed. “Can you call your merry band of idiots here, I need to tell them something.” 

Relinquishing control, Sara told Gideon to get the Legends on the bridge. 

Leaning back against the panel, Astra searched for the words she’d need. Telling someone you hold their souls in your hand- well, your box- it was a sensitive subject. You owned their ticket to the afterlife. Wherever they went, however much they were worth, they would eventually fall prey to you. 

John nudged Astra. “So, how are you going to tell ‘em?”

“With words, John.” She rolled her eyes as the legends showed up one by one. “Alright, listen up,” she put on the voice she used back in her position of power. “You all know the soul coin system.” Clasping her hands together, she feared her next words. “I own your soul coins. Now that I’m playing nice, I want to give you all the opportunity to drop by. One by one.” She paused, but the legends kept watching her with quiet bewilderment. Nate looked interested, which he hadn't done since Zari left. Behrad was probably curious but he was playing with a small fidgeting toy. Mick had put down his beer, looking thoughtful. It was always dangerous when he looked thoughtful. A pained expression graced Sara's face as she clutched the pendant around her neck, her blunt nails digging into her skin. Standing in the middle of the group, Ava seemed to pointedly avoid Astra's gaze. Zari just eyed her with a smirk. “And you don’t get to fight me over the fact that I had your soul.” 

“Aww,” Charlie mumbled. 

Astra bit the inside of her cheek to hide a smile. “Any questions?”

Nate raised his hand. “When can we drop by?”

“During office hours. Nine to five or you’re getting an express trip to hell.” 

"With you?" Charlie smirked, leaning back on the steps.

Next to her, John muttered, “Haven’t I done enough?”


	2. Revenge Bites

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John knows he shouldn't be snooping in the soul coin chest, but he did it anyway. Now he's been bitten by something and that something has escaped.
> 
> or
> 
> Mona's soul coin story!

Astra had been reading in the peace and quiet of John’s living room, something she was relishing now that she was out of the mayhem of hell, when she heard a screech. Sure, she’d had noise-cancelling headphones there, but nothing compared to actual peace and quiet. She made her way to where the noise had come from and found her office door was ajar. A few legends had gathered outside - the legends portaled into John’s house without warning constantly, much to John’s chagrin.

Astra pushed past Mick, who was surprisingly hard to move, to find John on the floor, cradling his hand.

“It - it bit me!”

Astra saw the soul coin chest was open and sighed. Sara snorted, leaning against the doorway.

“What bit you, John? It’s coins -”

“Where did it go?” Astra said, exasperated, because her book had been really good, and her tea was going to get cold. John shrugged. 

“Dunno, the blighter nipped me, then I think it rolled under the couch.”

“Wait, something in there can bite?” Ava asked, a little apprehensive, and Astra turned.

“Yes. You should call Mona Wu, she might want to see this.”

“She’s already here - it’s book club tonight, we’re going to portal to Nora’s together,” Ava explained, as Sara stuck her head around the corridor and called Mona over. 

“Why are you lot all here in the first place?” John grumbled. 

Mona appeared pretty quickly, bright and bubbly in a yellow sundress. The ultimate contrast to Astra’s personality, but they got along quite well.

“Captain?” She asked as Sara nodded her head towards Astra, but before she could explain, John made a noise from the floor. 

“Your bloody soul bit my finger!”

“My what?” Mona asked, raising an eyebrow. She glanced from John on the floor to Ava, then back to Astra.

“I have your soul in the form of a coin,” Astra said, and Mona’s eyes grew wide. She hadn’t been there when Astra had explained, so a short version would have to do. “Your coin - look, you’ll have to coax it out and I can show you.”

John stood up, still grumbling as Sara pulled him up to portal back to the med-bay. That tiny bite wasn’t going to heal itself. Well, it could. But they didn’t know the side effects of a soul coin bite yet. Astra knelt by the couch. Mona followed her, flicking her phone torch on and shining it into the dark crevice, light revealing many dust bunnies. 

“C’mon, soul!” She said in a sing-song voice. “You can come out now!”

There was a small, clinking sound, and the coin came rolling out. It was a little dusty, but otherwise fine. Astra snorted at Mona’s delighted expression, and almost missed the way Mona’s hand reached forward.

“No, wait -” She shouted.

Mona had the coin in her hand before Astra could finish her warning, and she dropped her phone to scratch her flowery yellow nail on the surface. “Who’s a good soul coin?” She said, still grinning. “Can everyone's do that?” She asked excitedly, and Astra shook her head.

“Yours is the only one I know. It’s why I had it in my possession in the first place. If I kept it with my other coins, no one would carelessly stick their hand in my collection. Not without some trouble.”

“It’s a guard coin,” Ava laughed.

“It’s Wolfie,” Mona said, matter-of-factly. “She’s a bit aggressive at times, but we’re working on it. It’s cool that she’s a part of my soul!”

Astra nodded, even though she only had a passing understanding of what was going on. Wasn’t that what life for a new legend was anyway? Mona stood up, carefully dropping the coin back into the box, where Astra shut the box and locked it for good measure.

“I’ve gotta go - it’s book club tonight,” Mona said. “And I should probably apologise to John -”

“No - it serves him right, going places he shouldn’t,” Astra said, and her heart did something funny when Mona laughed. “And - yeah, I also have a book to get back to -”

“Oh - you should come to book club too!” Mona said excitedly. “We’re always open for new members - Zari comes sometimes, and Sara, when she’s not got captain stuff to do, and Lita brings whatever book she needs to read for English -”

“That sounds -” Astra interrupted, ready to brush her off when something stopped her. “That sounds great. Maybe next time, when I’ve read the book.”

Mona nodded enthusiastically, promising to get her number from Ava and add her to the book club group chat, and Astra nodded too, the smile not leaving her face as she got back to her book, even though her tea was stone cold. 

Five minutes later, John was shoved back into the house through a portal. His face was flushed, his clothes more dishevelled than usual. 

Astra raised an eyebrow. “What sort of trouble did you get into now?”

Taking a deep breath, John straightened his tie and sat down on the couch opposite of Astra. “Nothin’ crazy, love. Gideon told Charlie I got bit by Mona’s soul coin. Charlie showed up to the med bay to take the piss for five minutes straight, then told me they’d get me a real injury.”

Inspecting John, Astra said, “so where’s your real injury?” 

“Nowhere, Sara opened a portal for me before Charlie could shove a stack of books from the fridge.”

A vivid image appeared in Astra’s mind. An unsuspecting John, opening the fridge to grab a beer. Charlie, perched on top with a large stack of library books, a wicked smile on their lips. She grabbed her phone.

“Now what’re you doing, love?” 

Astra looked at him with an innocent smile. “Asking Gideon for the surveillance footage.”


	3. A Legend Should Fly Free

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her footsteps fell to the beat of her thundering heart. It wasn’t that Astra scared her, or that she felt anxious about once again entering John’s house unannounced, no that was just a nice bit of revenge. Revenge for making her witness him chugging the Rasputin juice. It had taken her two days to build up enough courage to ask about her. Not her own coin. Kendra’s. She didn’t care for her own soul.
> 
> or
> 
> Sara asks about Kendra's soul, then proceeds to set it free!

Her footsteps fell to the beat of her thundering heart. It wasn’t that Astra scared her, or that she felt anxious about once again entering John’s house unannounced, no that was just a nice bit of revenge. Revenge for making her witness him chugging the Rasputin juice. It had taken her two days to build up enough courage to ask about her. Not her own coin. Kendra’s. She didn’t care for her own soul.

Coming to a stop at Astra’s office, her courage faltered. She rubbed the point of her combat boot against the other, feeling comfort at the sight of scuffed marks on the leather. Repeating the motion, Sara knocked on the door. Before Astra could view her move as weakness, she planted both feet steady on the ground.

“Come in,” Astra called. 

Sara entered the office, shutting the heavy wooden door behind her. “Hi.”

“Hello.” Astra looked up from her computer screen. “Have you come for your soul coin?” The question came out rather absent-mindedly as if everyone had dropped by for theirs.

“No,” Sara deflected. “God, no.” 

That caught Astra’s attention. She turned her computer screen off and faced Sara. “So what are you here for?” 

Sara walked toward the chair in front of Astra’s desk and gripped the back of it, knuckles turning white. “I want to ask you about someone else’s coin. You said you had every Legend’s soul. Is that true?” It took all her focus to keep her voice steady.

“Yes, why else would I say that.” Astra tilted her chin up. “Who’s on your mind, captain?” A glint appeared in her eyes, a danger Sara didn’t need. 

“Kendra. Or, _Chayara_.” Her grip tightened on the chair as she looked Astra in the eye. “Does she even have a soul coin? She reincar- used to reincarnate.”

Astra pushed her chair back and turned to her filing cabinet. “She does have one. It’s slippery for two reasons. One of them is her reincarnation.” Stopping her movements, Astra smiled. “Every time she died, the owner would get excited, only for the coin to change its name and disappear.” 

Sara thought back to Kendra and her demeanour regarding fate. “She would love that. What’s the other reason why her coin is hard to pin down?”

Astra reached into a drawer and pulled out a jam jar. Inside, a soul coin fluttered around, small wings attached to the edge. “She flies. She wants to be free.” 

A flutter appeared inside Sara’s chest, seeming to follow the beating of Kendra’s soul. She smiled and reached for the jar, her eyes wide with wonder. The coin seemed to sense her presence, as it started clinking against the glass between them. “Could you?” Sara didn’t have to finish her question. 

With a quick glance to check that her windows were closed, Astra unscrewed the lid from the jar. She placed both items on her desk.

Sara watched Kendra’s soul flutter out, hesitantly at first, then flew straight at her. It bonked against her nose, the wings flapping lightly against Sara’s eyebrows. The coin flew a few circles around Sara’s head. Sara couldn’t admit to the feeling in her chest. She watched her friend’s soul finally be happy, free from her cycle of doom. Raising her hand, she held out her palm as a silent invitation. Kendra’s soul flew in circles around Sara’s arm until it hovered around her hand, slowly lowering until the edge balanced on the mouse of Sara’s hand. 

“She likes you.” It wasn’t a question it was an observation. 

“Yeah… I like her too. Always have.” Saying the words out loud felt strange with this new legend in the room. One of the many on her team who’d never known Kendra. “I know this is probably a long shot,” Sara started. She didn’t even want to say the words, but she had to make the request. For Kendra.

“What?” Astra watched her as if she was analysing everything. 

“Can Kendra’s soul coin be free? On the Waverider? I swear I’d keep it super safe.” 

Raising her eyebrows, Astra said, “super safe.... on the Waverider.” 

“Yes, I know that sounds ridiculous. But it’s Kendra.” She looked down at the coin in her hand. “She knows her way around the ship and she wouldn’t do anything risky. Besides, do you really want to keep her cooped up?”

Astra watched the little coin flutter its wings, agreeing with Sara’s words. “I guess not. But if you lose her there’s going to be a problem.”

Sara cradled the coin in both of her hands. “I already lost her once, I won’t do it again.”

The jam jar- or as Sara preferred to see it- travel case under her arm, Sara stepped back onto the Waverider. She walked around the ship, speaking into the jar, telling Kendra about the changes that had been made since she last stepped foot on the Waverider. The coin may not have talked back, but it still felt like she was conversing with Kendra again. For the first time in a very long while. Sara told her about the Legends that had come and gone, each one taking a piece of her heart with them. She introduced Kendra’s soul to Lita Rory, who was studying in the library with Charlie at her side. 

“Hey, Lita.”

“Hey aunt Sara,” Lita looked up from her history books. “What’s in the jar?” 

Leaning back in her chair, Charlie asked, “It’s not another black plague fly, is it? I told Ray to stop leaving the windows of the jumpship open.” 

“It’s not.” Sara unscrewed the lid of the jar but kept it on top. “Lita, has your dad told you about the soul coins?” To Sara’s surprise, Lita nodded. 

“Whose is this?” Charlie sat up, eyeing the jar with curiosity. 

“Guys, meet Kendra. Also known as _Chayara_ , or Hawkgirl.” Sara took the lid off and watched Kendra flutter out. She circled around the room, exploring the bookcases and dark corners. 

“Now that’s cool,” Lita sighed. She dropped her pen and sat back, watching the coin with a smile.

Charlie’s eyes were wide as she stood up, moving to the middle of the room. 

“I told her about all the new legends,” Sara said. She watched Kendra’s coin flutter around Charlie’s head like a strange halo. Charlie’s expression was rather out of character. For Charlie, not for Amaya. She looked at Kendra’s soul the way Amaya had looked at the Legends, more specifically Zari and Nate. Well, Zari, Nate and herself.

“She’s amazing,” Charlie said breathlessly. She extended her hand, watching in awe as Kendra landed.

“I still miss her sometimes.” Sara moved to Charlie’s side. “That’s why I’m glad Astra’s letting us keep her here, on the ship.”

“She’s staying?”

“Yeah. She belongs here.” Together, the two of them watched as the coin folded its wings against its back, revealing its name. Kendra Saunders.

With a gentle finger, Charlie stroked the wings of the coin. “Once a Legend…”

“Always a Legend,” Sara finished, bumping her hip against Charlie’s. Kendra would always be a Legend, and she would always be in her heart. 


	4. stainless steel optimism

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nate flipped the coin over between his thumb and forefinger. “So, this is like - my soul?” He asked tentatively, and Astra sighed.
> 
> or
> 
> Nate gets a turn with his soul, and Astra learns about what it means to be a legend

Nate was eager to hear about his coin, and he hadn’t been eager about much since Zari - the first Zari - had left. The whole thing had left Astra a little confused, as she had no memories of anyone before Behrad, but she knew grief like an old friend. The years she spent in Hell, growing up mourning her mother, it hardened her. She didn’t want to let it harden Nate. Even though he could technically harden. If showing Nate his coin would cheer him up - well, Astra wasn’t opposed to it.

It was a little underwhelming when she handed it over, but Nate examined it with the keen eye of an academic, turning it over in his palm. She’d heard that Nate had a doctorate and spoke five languages, but he had the energy of a dumb jock. Astra should know, there were a lot of them in hell. 

Nate flipped the coin over between his thumb and forefinger. “So, this is like - my soul?” He asked tentatively, and Astra sighed.

“Sort of - its - its the representation of your soul. It’s hard to explain.” She said, brushing him off, not quite willing to admit she didn’t entirely know herself. If she knew how it worked she would’ve brought her mother back, the only one who truly knew the ins and outs of a soul coin had been Lachesis. 

Nate looked at it a couple more times, brushing his thumb over the indent of his name. After a moment, he handed it back to Astra, a beaming smile on his face.

“Well, thanks for showing it to me. And thanks for keeping it safe!”

Astra felt suddenly exposed under the light of his smile, and ducked her head. The memories of her wishing to torture all the Legends bubbled up in the back of her mind. She wasn’t proud of it, but it had been her goal. Now Nate was trusting her with his soul as if she hadn’t wished to bring him a painful death. Just as he turned to leave, she raised her head.

“Oh - wait - you should steel up.”

Nate raised his eyebrow, but did it anyway. With a breath, he was shiny steel, the metal reflecting in the midday sun. Astra held out the coin, and Nate’s eyes widened when he saw it had shifted from the familiar burnished gold to silver, smooth and indented with his name. It gleamed just as brightly as he did. 

He shifted back and stepped forward, as the coin shifted too. Holding out his hand, he looked at Astra with pleading eyes. 

Sighing, she dropped the coin into his palm. She watched as he steeled up a few times, watching his coin like a kid looking at a pet. 

“That’s so cool!” Nate breathed, eyes bright with the thrill of discovery. “Is it - like me? We could test things like density - Ray measured my density once, it’s pretty cool -”

“You shouldn’t experiment on it.” Astra warned, pushing back. 

Nate sighed and dropped the coin into Astra’s hand. “Well, you’re the expert.” He turned to leave again, and Astra held up the coin.

“Don’t you want it?” She tensed as the coin threatened to slip through her manicured fingers. A soul coin was so easy to lose. Not unlike a soul. 

“Nah, you can keep it safe, I trust you.” Nate said from the doorway. “Do you wanna come for lunch? Me and Behrad are gonna portal to a sandwich place he found in Beirut in 1987 -”

“I’m fine, thanks.” Astra said, and watched as Nate grinned and said goodbye, before depositing his coin, very gently, back into her chest. His complete faith in her, his trust- it dropped heavy in her stomach. She didn’t like it, it felt as if responsibility was placed on her shoulders. A protection role she wasn’t made to play. Her hands clutched at the edges of the chest, her breath beating down on her. After locking the chest, she went downstairs. Maybe talking to John would help.

“Hey love, fancy a cuppa?” 

John stood in the kitchen with an old-fashioned kettle in his hand. On the counter stood a large, black mug indented with his name. 

Crossing her arms, Astra asked, “is it actually tea?” She sniffed experimentally, only smelling the remnants of her morning coffee. 

“No weird ingredients, I promise.” 

“Sure.” She leaned against the counter as John grabbed a mug from the cupboards. “So, about Nate…” 

“What’d he do, declare his undying love for you? He’ll do that, the poor sod.” 

“What? No!” Astra rubbed the bridge of her nose. “He’s so… carefree.”

“Carefree? His heart’s been broken four times in the past few years, he’s weighed down by heartbreak. And whatever he’s made of when he steels up.”

“I’d agree, but he just left his soul in my hands.” 

John handed her one of the mugs, then led the way to the living room. “Yeah, he does that. The bloke has all the faith in the world for those he considers his friends.”

Astra sat down on the armrest of her chair as John stretched out on the couch. “It feels… heavy.”

“His unrelentin’ optimism?” John sipped his tea.

“More, his faith in me. After everything I did.” She brushed the pad of her pinky over the edge of her mug, feeling the heat. 

John laughed. “Never underestimate a Legend’s ability to love you no matter what you’ve done to them. it’s a rite of passage, love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> look! an update! don't wanna miss the rest of the updates? subscribe to the fic and u get an email when we upload!! modern tech is miraculous wow


	5. Dual Deities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Artificial sun rays filtered through the makeshift pattern on the metal walls. You could only do so much to make a 22nd-century timeship look homey, and Charlie knew she wasn’t there forever. Aside from that, it had been Amaya’s room. Changing it felt… wrong. As if she was tarnishing the Legends’ memories of Amaya, instead of making her own memories. Rows and rows of green vines covered the wall opposite of her bunk, bringing life into the machine they lived on._
> 
> Or
> 
> Charlie may not have a soul coin, but Astra still has a gift for her.

Artificial sun rays filtered through the makeshift pattern on the metal walls. You could only do so much to make a 22nd-century timeship look homey, and Charlie knew she wasn’t there forever. Aside from that, it had been Amaya’s room. Changing it felt… wrong. As if she was tarnishing the Legends’ memories of Amaya, instead of making her own memories. Rows and rows of green vines covered the wall opposite of her bunk, bringing life into the machine they lived on. 

A quiet clang sounded through the air vent behind the leaves as Kendra’s coin struggled to enter Charlie’s bedroom. With a movement not unlike shrugging, she freed her wings and pushed through the vines to freedom. 

“Oh, hello,” Charlie spoke softly. She pulled the stack of pillows near her to her side, patting them in an invitation. 

The coin circled Charlie’s head once, then balanced the edge on the stack of pillows. 

“I suppose you’re here ‘cause I’m hiding away, ain’t ya?” She brushed the tip of her pinky over the coin. “You’re here to cheer me up? Well, love, I don’t think this is an issue you can help me with.” 

The coin fluttered her wings impatiently as Charlie’s phone buzzed. 

“What’s this, then?” She asked, picking up her phone. “Is this your doing? That’s very impressive for a little coin like you.” 

The coin fluttered her wings impatiently as Charlie unlocked her phone and read the text. It was Astra, asking her to come over. 

“Well now, how’d you do that, little one?” 

The coin flew up and gently bumped into Charlie’s nose, a small gesture of affection. 

“Thank you. But you know you have to stay on the ship, right? I can’t take you with me.” Charlie smiled. 

Kendra’s coin bumped into Charlie’s nose again then fluttered back to the air vent. She’d completed her mission.

After watching the coin disappear, Charlie opened a portal to John’s house. Whatever Astra wanted from her must be important, if it had sent Kendra’s soul into her room. 

Her boots clomped loud on the stairs, waking John who lay passed out over the coffee table. 

“If you’re here to shag Astra can you at least keep it down, love?” He asked, not even bothering to lift his head.

“Put in some earplugs,” Charlie laughed. Ignoring the loud groan, she continued up the stairs and found her way to Astra’s office. 

“Come in, I could hear your boots the minute you walked in,” Astra swung the door open with a teasing smile. 

Pausing to look her in the eye, Charlie said, “so did John. He thinks you called me to fuck.”

She wiggled her eyebrows.

Astra snorted. “Cut the shit, C.” With a gentle shove, she directed Charlie to the chair in front of her desk. “I have something for you,” she said, walking around and leaning on the back of her chair.

“Oh yeah? Is it a kiss?” Charlie smirked and leaned forward, placing her hands flat on the desk between them.

“Maybe if you play nice,” Astra returned smoothly. She put the chest of soul coins on her desk and unlocked it. “I have a soul coin for you.”

“I don’t understand,” Charlie said. “I am a fate. My existence surpasses the soul coin system. As far as Hell is concerned, I don’t have a soul.” Her voice was steady but saying the words out loud sunk her heart. She was different, yes. But that had always been a point of pride for her. Something that comforted her. Now here she sat, longing to be part of something.

Rolling her eyes, Astra said, “it’s not yours, dummy. It’s just  _ for you _ .” She dug around in the chest, coins tinkling noisily against each other until Astra found what she was looking for. She held up a gleaming gold coin. “Here, Amaya Jiwe.” 

Charlie stared.

When she didn’t hold out her hand, Astra grabbed hold of Charlie’s wrist and gently placed it on her palm. “It’s for you, C.”

“But I didn’t even know her.” Charlie attempted to hand it back to Astra, who declined.

“I know that. She’s still you, in a certain way. In the Legends’ hearts you’re as much a part of Jiwe as that totem she bore. I’m sure it’s the same vice versa.” She leaned against the edge of her desk as Charlie considered the words. 

Was she a part of Amaya? When she first joined the Legends, she felt like a replacement. A version of a team member they weren’t ready to lose yet. But as time went on, she started to feel accepted as Charlie, not just as punk Amaya. She felt at home with the Legends. “They see me and Amaya as dual deities?” Charlie asked, finally framing her question. 

Astra shrugged. “I think so. The coin certainly does. Look at it,” she gestured toward the edge of the coin. 

Charlie brought the coin closer, inspecting the edges until the words appeared. Charlie, in ancient greek. Her name, her  _ chosen  _ name lined the edges like a finishing touch. “That’s me,” she gasped. 

“Yeah, that’s you, dork. Go on, look closer. It’s yours.” 

Charlie looked up at Astra with pleading eyes. 

“Yes, to keep! Go on, inspect it.” She watched Charlie handle the coin as if it would explode in her hands. 

The bright golden shine and the Greek on the edge weren’t the only things that made Amaya’s coin so special, no. When Charlie tilted it the right way, she could watch images of running animals ripple over the coin like a reflection in a river, streams of the spirits that Amaya portrayed. 

“It’s beautiful,” Charlie said softly. “Thanks. Thank you, Astra,” she said, looking up at her. 

“You’re welcome, C. Now go along, I have some business to attend to.”

Slipping the coin into her pocket, Charlie returned to her usual demeanour. “What, no kiss?” She smirked and stepped into Astra’s personal space. “I did play nice,” she whispered. 

“Hmm,” Astra hummed, bumping her hips into Charlie’s. “Maybe next time, C.”

With the coin in her pocket, Charlie left Astra’s office in a considerably better mood. Amaya or Charlie, both could always find a way to flirt with someone. And who could resist them?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter, which one's been your favourite so far? I'd say Kendra's but Nate's was so soft too!   
> Anyways this is in honour of Charlie and Amaya because Maisie Richardson-Sellers owns my ass  
> Love,  
> Freckles


	6. Knowledge is Power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lita likes to learn things, likes to explore. Learning about Legends' history is her new favourite thing. And when she asks Ava a question that's too complicated to explain, Ava distracts her. By telling her about the soul coins.
> 
> or
> 
> Mick & Lita's soul coins!

To be fully honest, everything on the Waverider intrigued her. The items in the cargo bay- which Mick told her not to touch- were only the beginning. After finding a mysterious cowboy hat, a teapot that looked like it was from the 1950s, and a violin, she had to know more. Curiosity killed the cat was a phrase her mother often used when she asked too many questions. But aunt Ava always told her that knowledge is power. 

She found Ava sat in the library, pouring over what Lita assumed was book club’s book of the month. “Hey.”

Ava looked up from her book with a smile. “Hey kiddo, what’s up?” She placed Mona’s hand-made bookmark between the pages and closed the book.

Lita leaned against the desk. “So you know how you say knowledge is power?”

“Yes.” Ava nodded.

“I have some questions and I figured that you would be the best person to answer them. They’re about, well, the Waverider.” Avoiding Ava’s eyes, she rubbed the toe of her boot against the desk. Force of habit. 

Leaning forward, Ava said, “I’m not sure I can answer all of your questions but I will do my best.”

“Awesome! My first question is about the cowboy hat in the cargo bay. What’s the story? There has to be one.” She hopped up onto the desk, leaving her feet dangling. 

Ava snorted. “Ah, the hat. It’s from Behrad’s… temporary crush. We spent some time with this cowboy, Jonah Hex. He’s a little wild and country but he’s loyal to a fault. When we left that time, Jonah gave Behrad his hat.” She smiled. “Behrad wouldn’t let Ray throw it out during the bi-monthly cleaning sessions. He says it still sparks joy.” 

“Aww,” Lita said. “That’s gay. Okay, second question. What about the flowery teapot that could only be from the 1950s?” 

“Oh, that one. It’s actually Sara’s, but she pretends it’s not.” Ava pinched the bridge of her nose. “Since you like to poke around I assume you know about Kendra- Hawkgirl.” She waited until Lita nodded. “Well, Sara, Ray, and Kendra were stuck in the 1950s for two years. Kendra bought Sara the teapot with money out of her first paycheck.”

“That’s so adorable, no wonder Sara won’t admit to it. Last question; the violin? Why is there a violin on board? Who plays it?” Lita eyed Ava’s hands, wondering if maybe it was her.

“That’s Zari’s.”

“Zari’s? But it looks like it’s been here forever.” Lita raised her eyebrows. “I know we’re on a timeship but I don’t understand.”

“I’ll explain it to you later, okay? It’s a really long story…” She looked down at her hands. “But if you’d like to learn more today, I know something you might enjoy,” she offered.

“Sure, what is it?”   
<><>  
Practically bouncing up the stairs, Lita followed her father to Astra’s office. After Ava explained the whole soul coin thing to her, she’d gone to Mick and convinced him that she absolutely had to see her soul coin. Out of scientific curiosity, of course. Mick begrudgingly agreed though Lita figured he was interested too.

Mick knocked on the door, his other hand on her shoulder. “Be cool,” he mumbled.

Lita came to a stop before Astra opened the door. She’d only met Astra a few times, but every time Lita wondered if Astra knocked her head on doorways. She was just so tall. 

“She wants to see her soul thing,” Mick grunted, and Lita nodded, her excitement shining through.

Astra looked from Mick to Lita, then back to Mick. “Do you want to see yours? I have to keep them together.”

Mick shrugged, but Lita could tell that he was curious. She figured it was a trait she got from him. 

“Alright,” Astra sighed. “They’re not with the others.”

Lita raised her eyebrows when Astra dragged a large ice-box from underneath her desk. She didn’t take Astra for the drink-at-work type. 

Astra proceeded to pull on a pair of bright blue flowery oven gloves, and Lita bit her cheek so she wouldn’t laugh. She retrieved a pair of tongs from her desk drawer and pushed the lid off the chest. 

“Woah!” Lita said, leaning toward Astra, her curiosity winning from her usual low-key attitude. “Is it - is that glowing?” The light from the chest seemed warm, both heat-wise and colour-wise. The ice caused the golden glow to dance in fractured beams across the room. 

Astra didn’t respond, instead snapped the tongs together and reached into the box, pulling out a slightly smaller, glowing coin. 

Lita reached out her hand on instinct, but Astra pulled back.

“You can’t - it’ll burn you. I can’t keep it with the others, it left singe marks on the box.”

Lita grinned. “That’s so sick.” She stepped closer to Astra and managed to decipher her name on the glowing coin. “That’s… me?” 

“Uhuh,” Astra replied softly, a look in her eyes that Lita hadn’t seen before. 

Astra dropped the coin back into the cool box and watched as it sizzled and settled into the rapidly melting ice. Then, she picked up the slightly bigger one - it didn’t glow as brightly, but the pulsing amber colour told everyone it was just as hot.

Mick’s face didn’t betray any emotion as he looked at the manifestation of his own soul in currency form, but his eyes were transfixed, lit up by the light of the coin. It seemed a little less… tempered. More mature, but just as strong. 

Astra dropped the coin back in the box and shut the lid, and the spell was broken.

“That was so fucking cool,” Lita said, “thanks!”

“Yeah, thanks,” Mick grunted. He promptly turned around and left the room.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Astra crossed her arms, the flowery oven gloves still on. “Aren’t you going after him?” 

“Why? I’m curious about the whole coins thing. Will you teach me more?” Lita walked around Astra’s desk and sat down as if she owned the place. After a moment, Astra seemed to accept it. “Would you like to know more about your dad’s coin?”

“Sure,” Lita said. 

Walking to a small dresser, Astra picked up a temperature-proof jar. “I used to keep his coin alongside his partner’s- Snart.”

“Yeah, I know of him.” 

“But the thing is, whenever the two fought, the coins would rattle around in this jar. Snart’s would cool down and Mick’s would heat up. It was as if I’d locked a violent storm inside this jar.” She held it up for Lita to see. 

“A portable tempest,” she said.

Astra nodded and put the jar back. “So I had to split them up.” 

Lita propped her boots up on Astra’s desk. “What’s your soul coin like?” She asked.

“Alright, kid.” Astra pulled her phone out of her pocket and started texting. 

“Your soul’s alright?”

“Not what I meant, but technically yes. I’m asking Ava to come to pick you up, you’ve reached your limit of allowed questions for today.” 

Lita slid her boots from the table and stood up. “I’ll just come back tomorrow,” she teased, bumping her hip against Astra as she walked past.

“Hold on, do you even know how to get back home?” Astra’s voice carried down the hall. 

With a smile, Lita turned around to face her. “I got a time courier.” With a few touches to the courier, she opened a portal back to the Waverider. “See you tomorrow!” 

And she truly did mean it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. This chapter was first written by Phoebe from Astra's POV. Now Freckles has rewritten it from Lita's POV. So it may be a mess but we love it and we hope you do too.  
> Love,  
> Freckles


	7. There's Always Time for Soul Searching

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ava was stood there, in plaid pyjamas and actual fluffy slippers, her hair tangled over her shoulders - a far cry from the put together woman Astra knew. Her eyelids were droopy, the usual blue of her irises dull, watery while the edges were tinted red. 
> 
> “Have you been crying?” Astra asked, before she could consider if she was being insensitive or not. Ava shrugged, her hands dancing nervously at the edge of her pyjama shirt.
> 
> or
> 
> It's Ava's turn!!

Astra jolted awake to the sound of someone knocking insistently on her door. It wasn’t even that loud, but you had to be a light sleeper to survive in Hell. Astra groaned and sat up, rubbing her tired eyes.

“John, your room is the next floor up -” She started, assuming that he had gotten lost whilst drunk, but her voice faltered when she saw who was behind the door.

Ava was stood there, in plaid pyjamas and actual fluffy slippers, her hair tangled over her shoulders - a far cry from the put together woman Astra knew. Her eyelids were droopy, the usual blue of her irises dull, watery while the edges were tinted red. 

“Have you been crying?” Astra asked, before she could consider if she was being insensitive or not. Ava shrugged, her hands dancing nervously at the edge of her pyjama shirt.

“Sorry, I know it’s late - I can come back tomorrow -”

“Well, I’m awake now.” Astra said, her annoyance making way for curiosity as to why Ava had come so late. Ava looked up at her and Astra did her best to ignore the puffy skin under Ava’s eyes. 

“Do I have a soul coin?” Her voice trembled.

Astra raised an eyebrow, shifting her weight to one leg. “Why wouldn’t you?”

“I - I wasn’t born, I was made. I don’t know how you get a soul, but I guess being born has something to do with it -”

“You do have a soul coin,” Astra said, interrupting Ava’s rambling. “I have it.”

“You do?” Ava said apprehensively. “Can I see it?”

“Alright. No time like the present.” Astra padded down the hall, Ava in tow. The sound of her bare feet on the tiles echoed in the hallway, narrow beams of light guiding the way. At night, the house seemed empty and cold. She didn’t regret moving into the house, but the melancholy settled cold in her chest sometimes, the emptiness a powerful contrast against Hell. 

They came to a stop in front of her office and Astra quickly unlocked it, letting Ava in first. She bit her lip to hide a smile at the blue fluffy slippers. She really was something. 

Ava sat down in the chair in front of Astra’s desk, hooking her fingers around where her rings usually were.   
Astra made her way over to the desk, clearing away the few books and candles that currently occupied the space, before pulling a small chest from underneath. Clicking it open, she tipped the contents out over the surface, the coins bouncing and scattering, the sound breaking through the eerie silence. Coins covered the entire surface of the desk, a few slipping from the edges and onto the floor. They slowly came to a stop. 

Ava sat, transfixed, as Astra pushed her way through the pile to find one that glowed a little brighter than the rest, had a different tint. The coin was a golden shade, it seemed less copper. 

“Here.” She said, and held it out between her fingertips. 

Ava took it carefully, setting the coin in her palm and wrapping her fingers around it tightly, almost to check it was real. As she did, her expression shifted to something softer, and she glanced down at the rest of the coins on the table, each emblazoned with the same three letters.

“They’re all the clones?” Ava asked, and Astra just nodded. 

“You thought you didn’t have a coin?” Astra asked, still a little curious, and Ava ducked her head.

“I - I have nightmares, sometimes. About it. And Lita was so excited to tell me about her coin, and how everyone had one, I was - I couldn’t stop thinking about it.”

“So you came to see me at 2 am?” Astra raised her eyebrows but she smiled. Watching Ava worry about something like this wasn’t something she’d expected to be doing. 

“Shit - it’s 2am?” Ava asked, turning to the clock on the wall, illuminated by the sole lamp that was on. “I didn’t think it was that late, I’m so sorry -”

“It’s fine.” Astra said, and it was. 

“I’m glad you have them.” Ava blurted out. “The other Avas. I’m glad it’s you looking after them.”

Astra glanced down at the coin-surface of her desk. The Ava coins- they weren’t exactly currency in Hell. Avas didn’t have a conscience- they weren’t supposed to. They were made to follow instructions, their actions weighing upon the instructors conscience instead of their own. Still, the coins were highly sought after. “You could have them if you’d like.”

“Wait, what?” Her grip on her coin loosened and Astra could see the letters indented in Ava’s skin. 

She leaned in, pulling Ava’s hand toward her. “Hold on…” It was hard to see with the limited amount of light, but AVA wasn’t the only thing imprinted in Ava’s hand. “This says your last name too.”

Ava frowned and looked down at her hand- at the coin. Instead of just having AVA, it now read AVA Sharpe. “Wait,” she stammered, almost dropping her coin. “It didn’t have that before.”

Astra let go of Ava’s hand with an amused smile. “It’s you,” she said, crossing her arms. “It reacted to you.” 

With the coin between her thumb and forefinger, Ava asked, “but what’s so special about my touch?” 

“You’ve found your own way- even as a clone. I’m guessing that if any of these,” Astra gestured over the coins, “become their own person, their coin will become brighter. If they pick their own name and touch their coin, maybe it’ll rebrand too.” 

“My rebrand…” Ava whispered. “Oh, Zari’s going to love that.” She glanced down at the other Ava coins. “Thank you for the offer but I think you should keep them. In case any of them start to become their own person, you could keep a watchful eye.”

Astra shrugged. “Alright. Keep yours, at least.” 

“I will. Thanks, for showing me- well. Showing me all of them.” She caught Astra’s eye with a smile. “Even if it is two in the morning.”

“There’s always time for soul searching.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thats been this week in 'phoebe has one single idea, then freckles makes it 1000% better' woo!!
> 
> wanna do us a solid? kudos / comments / subs / bookmarks are always welcome!!


	8. A Tornado Flew Around My Room Before You Came

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Astra had been slowly spending more time with some of the Legends through book club, connecting with the girls. She even sat through Mona’s heartfelt dissection of some alien romance novel which Astra was slightly surprised, yet not surprised to learn had been written by Mick Rory._
> 
> _Behrad too had been inviting her to hang out, under the guise of filling her in on all the 2010s pop culture she missed, which mostly involved listening to music and playing video games. He was twenty minutes into his rant about the most underrated Beyoncé songs when Astra interrupted._
> 
> Or
> 
> Behrad's soul coin(s) story!

Astra had been slowly spending more time with some of the Legends through book club, connecting with the girls. She even sat through Mona’s heartfelt dissection of some alien romance novel which Astra was slightly surprised, yet not surprised to learn had been written by Mick Rory. 

Behrad too had been inviting her to hang out, under the guise of filling her in on all the 2010s pop culture she missed, which mostly involved listening to music and playing video games. He was twenty minutes into his rant about the most underrated Beyoncé songs when Astra interrupted.

“You never asked. About your coin.”

“I didn’t want you to think - I’m not hanging out with you to get to my coin,” Behrad said sincerely, a little surprised. 

Astra shook her head. “I didn’t think you were,” she said quietly. In Hell, everything was a transaction, everything worth having come with strings attached - but being on Earth, with the Legends, Astra had started to let go of this fear, the suspicion that everyone who asked her for something wanted something in return. An eternal tit for tat. 

“I’m glad.” Behrad smiled before it faded a little. “I guess - it doesn’t feel right,” he said quietly, and Astra waited, holding his gaze. Behrad just sighed, ducking his head slightly. “I’ve got the two timelines in my head,” he mumbled. “The other me. The one in the other future, who died. Where’s his soul? Where did he go?” He fidgeted with the remote control of the radio.

“I think you should see your coin,” Astra said as she stood up. She held out her hand, and Behrad took it, intertwining their fingers. Astra clicked her time courier on with practised efficiency and stepped through into her office.

She flicked the light on and directed Behrad to sit.

“I don’t think -” He protested, but one look from Astra cut him off.

“Trust me,” Astra said quietly.

The chest was still on her desk, and Astra clicked it open, eyes casting over the mass of coins. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and ran her hand over the cool metal, feeling in her mind for the right one, picturing Behrad. Her fingers closed around one, and she opened her eyes, then turned with her palm out.

_ Behrad Tarazi _ , the coin proclaimed.

“That’s me,” Behrad said, a little confused and almost disappointed, and Astra nodded.

“Yes, it is, but -” She closed her eyes again. Astra had no reference for Behrad Tomaz, she’d never met him. She had met Zari Tomaz, however briefly, and she pictured her, and the love she had for her brother.

There was a click, and Astra heard Behrad’s sharp intake of breath.

The coin had opened, revealing something inside, and Astra didn’t have to prompt him - Behrad took the coin and pried it open. Inside was a smaller coin, no less real than the one that had encased it. The smaller coin read  _ ‘Behrad Tomaz’ _ . 

Behrad took it out, his own coin in one hand and the new one in the other. Or, rather- the old one. The Tomaz coin seemed to struggle against his grip, trying to wriggle itself out from between his fingers. 

“He’s with me.” He said quietly. “We’re - together, but not the same person.” He glanced down as the Tomaz coin struggled. “He doesn’t seem to like me very much.”

“I’m not sure how it works,” Astra said quietly, watching as Behrad’s hands closed around the two coins. “The Legends have souls unlike I’ve ever seen. As for the movement… Let him go.”

Behrad relaxed his grip but kept the coin in place. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

He let go of the coin and it flew up, circling the lamp, propelled by a miniature tornado. It flew around the room with no clear goal, glowing a little brighter in the light of its freedom. Behrad stared. “Woah! Does my coin fly too?”

Astra shook her head, keeping an eye on the Tomaz coin. “It’s a special feature of the Tomaz coin. I think…” Her voice faltered, her theory falling back into the hidden corners of her mind. 

“No. go on- tell me?” He looked up at Astra, pure curiosity burning its way through Astra’s shields.

“I figured it might fly because it’s, you know, untethered. Free from anything but its- your power. Free from any timeline.” 

After taking a moment to consider the idea, he smiled. “I like that.” 

“It’s only a theory,” Astra shrugged. 

Watching the Tomaz coin fly, Behrad said, “I wish Zari could see this. The other Zari - the one in the totem world. She’d love this.”

“Maybe we could find a way of getting a message to her. Stranger things have happened.” Astra said with a shrug, and Behrad grinned at her, then opened his palm, the skin now gently indented with his name. As if it was a secret signal, the Tomaz coin flew down to meet the Tarazi coin. It settled within the borders.

“Thanks.” He said as he deposited the two coins back into Astra’s hand. She shut her eyes, closed her fist, and when she opened it, the coin was back together again.

“How did you do that?” Behrad asked, and Astra smiled.

“Parlour trick.”

“I should - I mean I can use the totem,” Behrad started excitedly, waving his wrist, on which sat the swirling burgundy stone, “do you think that means I can do magic too?”

Astra shrugged. “John has some old spell books, we could find out.”

“Sweet!” Behrad said excitedly, then held out his fist.

Astra looked at it expectantly. “I’m sorry?”

“Oh - uh - make a fist, and then we bump them. It’s a fist bump.” He explained, and Astra raised her eyebrow but did it anyway, Behrad’s grin widening when their fists met. He pulled away with an exaggerated explosion sound.

“That’s ridiculous,” Astra muttered, but the smile never left her face, and she gestured to the door. “Let's go do some magic.”

Twenty minutes later, John came home to find a very apologetic Behrad and a very unapologetic Astra, and a previously empty room which now contained a tornado.


	9. Helping Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The engine room had a pleasant thrum to it, all the pipes and panels that vibrated gently and filled the room with white noise. The same pipes that were curved in a certain way that Astra could curl herself up on.
> 
> She came down there that night with a large knitted jumper pulled over her hands and her headphones on. There was a noise, muffled by the music, and she pulled her headphones down, clicking off the music.
> 
> or
> 
> Gideon's soul coin!

Sneaking onto the Waverider wasn’t hard for Astra - she’d already pocketed a few time couriers from the box that Ava had squirrelled out of the Time Bureau before it was shut down. If Ava knew, she hadn’t said anything about it. Astra’s sleight of hand was simply a method of convenience. 

Tonight, Astra sneaked onto the Waverider because John was doing another exorcism. One that involved a  _ wild _ chicken, an extremely loud Polish incantation, and his naked ass. Now, the noise was fine. The best way to know whether or not John was home was to listen. The chicken was a bit of a bother, it tried to peck at Astra’s snacks and feathers were strewn throughout the house. But Astra had seen enough to haunt her, she did not want to add John’s naked butt to that list. 

Behrad had shown her the engine room on a tour of the Waverider, and Astra hadn’t paid it much attention until John’s house was too quiet and her head was too loud. When she needed somewhere else to be. The engine room had a pleasant thrum to it, all the pipes and panels that vibrated gently and filled the room with white noise. The same pipes that were curved in a certain way that Astra could curl herself up on.

She came down there that night with a large knitted jumper pulled over her hands and her headphones on. There was a noise, muffled by the music, and she pulled her headphones down, clicking off the music.

“Miss Logue, please take your shoes off the engine.”

“Astra.” Astra said as she made no effort to move, “call me Astra.”

“Astra. Please remove your shoes from the engine,” Gideon rephrased.

“You’ve been here since the beginning, right?” Astra asked, curiosity in her voice. She hadn’t spoken to Gideon alone before and found it hard to focus her eyes on one point. She couldn’t look her in the eyes. Speaking to Gideon was a little bit like speaking on the phone with someone. 

“I was,” Gideon said, almost quietly. As quiet as an AI could be. “I was here before then.”

“Before? Before what, Sara?” Astra watched the blinking lights in the corner, deciding that those could be her point of focus. Here, in the engine room, Gideon seemed the most alive. The most human.

“Yes - with Rip Hunter. I was created by the Time Masters.”

“I didn’t - I never asked. I never met Rip Hunter.” She stumbled over her words like loose stones in the pavement. Gideon was a vessel of knowledge, but she never freely disclosed information quite as she did now. 

“I wanted to ask,” Gideon said, her voice dropping. “You have the Legend’s soul coins -”

“I don’t have his coin,” Astra said, her tone gentle. Rip’s coin was almost mythical, as were most Time Masters, but Lachesis had kept her most prized coins in her iron grip - Astra had never even seen the thing. “Wait - I do -”

Astra tapped the time courier, opening a portal, then reaching her hands through to open the chest on her desk. Mick had taught her how to open localised portals after she’d witnessed him watching football and opening a portal to the fridge to get himself a beer without leaving the couch.

She held up her prize as the portal fizzled out - a coin that looked like no other. Instead of bronze or gold, it was clear like glass, and the inside could be seen - blue wires and dots, forming a circuit board. If you looked closely you could see that it was indented with zeroes and ones, but the name “Gideon” was embedded in gold. Astra held the coin up, not entirely sure what direction she should point it so the AI could see. Since Gideon could see everything everywhere, her focus could be anywhere. 

“That’s - me,” Gideon said, almost taken aback, and Astra turned the coin so the name glinted in the light. “I didn’t think - I didn’t know I had one.”

“It’s not an exact science,” Astra said, dropping the coin into her palm. “These coins, they’re not built from logic or something sensible- they’re just coins. Some are personalised, adjusted to the soul. Others are not. Since there’s no logic or reasoning I cannot tell you why your coin exists, or why Charlie’s doesn’t.” Astra sighed and looked at the coin. “If you would like it, I could leave yours here. With you. Although this entire ship is with you.”

“Yeah,” Gideon said, a smile in her voice. “Miss Logu- Astra. I am thankful that you have shown me my coin. I didn’t think I would have one, but you proved me wrong. That does not happen very often. I want you to keep it. You’ve kept it safe for a while now and I trust you to continue.” There was a pause. “Besides. It is not like I can hold it somewhere, I have no hands.” 

Astra snorted and tucked Gideon’s coin under her thumb, so it was pressed flat against her palm. Then she raised her hands. “Consider these your helping hands. I’m willing to help you out. Unless it’s with something techy, then consider Behrad your helping hands.” 

“Thank you, Astra.”

Astra smiled. “Anytime, Gideon.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's up y'all, if you enjoyed this drop a comment down below or hit us up on Tumblr! @puppetsoftomorrow or @ginger-canary!  
> Love,  
> Phoebe & Freckles


End file.
